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SACRAMENTO - Regardless of how the rest of the campaign shakes out, when its all said and done December 8 will be a date that jumps out as a turning point, not only for the Raptors but for Rudy Gay himself. Its been two seasons in one for both parties and neither will look back on the first 18 games fondly. "I think I took the fall for a lot of things," said Gay, reflecting on his short time in Toronto ahead of Wednesdays game against his former club. "But its happened before and itll happen again." Rightly or wrongly, Gay has and will continue to shoulder most of the blame for Torontos 6-12 start, the same way his exodus will be credited for the teams remarkable turnaround. Theres no avoiding it. In Toronto, Gay was the offence, more or less. He was taking more shots than ever before, shooting the lowest percentages of his career and as a result the team was losing. The numbers are pretty conclusive, the Raptors are a better team without him on the roster. However, Gay has also taken off since the trade to Sacramento, which goes to show you that finding the right fit - although its easier said than done - can make a big difference. "I think here theres just more space [in the offence]," said Gay, who is averaging more points and taking fewer shots with the Kings. "Obviously with the kind of season Kyle (Lowry) is having and with DeMar (DeRozan) sometimes it would be a little cluttered out there, especially at the guard position. Here theres just more space for me to do what I do." Gay has shot 50 per cent or better in 17 of his 25 games with the Kings after doing so in one of 18 contests to begin the season in Toronto. Overall, hes hitting 53 per cent of his field goal attempts since the trade, having shot 39 per cent before it. "It just wasnt working up there for whatever reason," said Kings first-year head coach Mike Malone. "But when we made the acquisition we looked at Rudy as a complete player and his whole history, including his years in Memphis and you see how efficient and effective hes been for us." He credits most of that improvement to a system thats more conducive to his style of play, a system that revolves around dominant centre DeMarcus Cousins. Cousins is one of just three NBA players averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds this season. The attention he attracts in the paint has created space for Gay to operate on the perimeter. "You look at Torontos roster and no disrespect to Jonas (Valanciunas) or Amir (Johnson) but they dont have a true low-post presence," Malone said. "When Rudy was in Memphis he had two [frontcourt] guys that he could play with in Marc (Gasol) and Zach (Randolph) and we just thought the idea of putting him on the perimeter with the inside presence of [Cousins] could really allow him to showcase his abilities." "So it is a fit and guys have to compliment each other and thats what putting together a roster is all about," he continued. "Up there, for whatever reason, DeMar and Rudy on the court maybe wasnt a mesh, maybe [there] wasnt enough shots to go around. Im not sure what it was but all I can tell you is that the games that weve had Rudy hes been a great fit." The marriage between Gay and the Raptors, which lasted less than a full year, was flawed from the outset. He and DeRozan had repetitive skill sets that clashed on the court, restricting Lowry from playing to his strengths and stunting the growth of Valanciunas. Dwane Casey tried his best to fit square pegs into round holes until the inevitable split up freed his team and their most expensive player. The pieces just didnt fit. Though his pre-trade numbers may suggest otherwise, Gay never threw in the towel or lost hope that they would figure it out. "I think we had a chance to be a really good team," he said, two months removed from the deal. "I mean obviously theyre a really good team now but I still dont feel we had a lot of time to build and become a big threat in the East." Without Gay the Raptors have a record of 20-10, third best in the Eastern Conference behind only Indiana and Miami. They have recorded 20 or more assists in 24 of those 30 games, averaging 22.9 per contest, ninth-best over that stretch after ranking last in that category before the trade (averaging 17.3). They have gone from the 19th ranked three-point shooting team (34 per cent) to the fifth best (38 per cent) and find themselves in the top 10 in both offensive (10th) and defensive (fifth) efficiency since Dec. 8. "I think the trade helped both of us," Gay said. "Im here, I have more room and they have a solid bench. [Theres] no hard feelings. I love the fact that those guys are winning." Meanwhile, Gays reprisal hasnt translated to team success in Sacramento, at least not yet. The Kings are 11-19 since the trade, tied for the worst record in the West overall. Theyre last in the NBA in assists since Gays arrival but its been their defence, among the worst in the league, that has held them back more than anything else. Yet with Gay on board, paired with a young core of Cousins and breakout point guard Isaiah Thomas, the Kings are optimistic about the future. They have reason to be. "We couldnt be happier with Rudy and hes shown that hes much more than just a scorer," Malone said. "Hes proven to everybody that he can be a very efficient player so thats been a bonus." Ivan Provorov Flyers Jersey .? It was his second straight start for the Jets; he suffered a 1-0 loss against Minnesota Monday. So this season Hutchinson has now won games in the ECHL, AHL and NHL. He was perfect three- for-three in the shootout to nail down the win. Jaromir Jagr Jersey . - A retired Indiana school principal who was NASCAR star Jeff Gordons drivers education teacher was killed with his wife in a Tennessee crash while returning from watching Gordon race. http://www.nhlflyersproauthentic.com/bernie-parent-hockey-jersey/ . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. Jakub Voracek Jersey . Replay backed him up. Adeiny Hechavarria immediately followed the ruling with a go-ahead sacrifice fly for the Miami Marlins, who held on to beat the Seattle Mariners 3-2 on Sunday completing a three-game sweep. Travis Konecny Jersey . Jimmy Howard made 44 saves and Henrik Zetterberg scored two goals, leading the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Saturday night.The NHLs Mar. 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell. Check out todays trade-related reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. And follow TSN.ca through Deadline Day for all the updates. Whos Peeping at Tom? Thomas Vanek reportedly rejected a long-term deal from the Islanders, thrusting his name to the forefront of trade speculation once more. But who are the contenders that might look to bring the Austrian sniper on board? TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie believes the Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings would be foremost amongst the teams looking to add a scoring winger. He notes that the Penguins have cap issues but that Veneks level of skill will be enticing to a lot of contending teams. Meanwhile, The Buffalo News took a different angle on Vaneks reported rejection of the Islanders by looking at a deal that might have been. The News wondered what the Sabres may have looked like had the team connected this past summer on a discussed trade with the Boston Bruins for Tyler Seguin. Sunshine Stopper Tim Thomas says hes open to sticking around with the Florida Panthers. "Im certainly willing to entertain the idea. I havent talked to the club about that," Thomas told the Sun Sentinel on Monday. "I was hoping by this time to be seeing more team success. Thats been a little bit difficult,&rdqquo; the 39-year-old continued.dddddddddddd “Having said that, its a process. I knew coming into it where the team was last year. I bought into this process, and what were trying to do is turn it around." The Panthers signed Thomas to a one-year, $2.5 million deal this past off-season after the two-time Vezina-winner took a year away from hockey. The team currently possesses the NHLs third-worst record. Cally Cash TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger revealed more on the current impasse between the New York Rangers and captain Ryan Callahan. Dreger said Callahan is believed to be seeking more than $6.5 million but less than $7 million per year on a seven-year term from the Rangers. Theres Rangers dont have a lot of wiggle room in negotiations with Callahan and thats why Glen Sather is considering and working towards moving his captain. On his Mark Winnipeg Jets defenceman Mark Stuarts pending unrestricted free agency has thrust his name into trade speculation, but hes reportedly more interested in finishing what hes started with the team. TSN Radio 1290 Winnipeg host Gary Lawless of the Winnipeg Free Press tweeted on Monday that Stuart has said he wants to stay with the Jets beyond the deadline and into the future. Stuarts three-year, $1.7 million AAV deal expires at seasons end. The Jets currently seventh in the Central Division. 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